July 31 (Bloomberg) -- Sudanese President Umar al-Bashir
declined to meet his South Sudanese counterpart, Salva Kiir, to
push talks to end hostilities between the two countries, the
state-run Suna news agency reported.

Al-Bashir turned down an invitation by the African Union’s
mediator, former South African President Thabo Mbeki, to meet
Kiir today in the Ethiopian Capital, Addis Ababa, because of
“prior commitments,” Sudanese Foreign Ministry spokesman al-Obeid Murawih said in a statement published by Suna. Al-Bashir
had a previously scheduled visit to Qatar, Murawih said.

Disputes over oil transit fees, borders and security
brought the two countries to the brink of war in April and
prompted the United Nations Security Council to threaten to
impose sanctions on both nations if they didn’t settle their
differences by Aug. 2.

South Sudan, which seceded in July last year, shut down its
oil production of 350,000 barrels a day in January after it
accused al-Bashir’s government of stealing $815 million worth of
crude. Sudan said it was confiscated to meet unpaid
transportation fees.

China National Petroleum Corp., Malaysia’s Petroliam
Nasional Bhd. and India’s ONGC Videsh Ltd. operate most of the
oil wells in the two countries.